-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Airport hotels have always been necessary but unloved stopover spots for the depleted traveler , places to shower , rehydrate and let the body recuperate from the merciless rigors of flying .

Yet checking into the Hilton Frankfurt Airport , which opened in December turned out to be much more . It 's an example of the emerging generation of airport hotels that are intended to function as destinations , real places where one might reasonably stay longer than a single night .

Some of the best and most spectacular airport hotels are in Asia : the Regal in Hong Kong ; the Crowne Plaza in Singapore . Now the rest of the world is catching up , and the newest airport hotels in Europe , the United States , Latin America , and elsewhere are responding to the generalized craving for experience . And there 's more going on than that : the increasing sophistication of these hotels parallels a reemergence of civilization -- daring architecture ; edible food -- in airports themselves .

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The improved hotels are one component of a backlash against that shiny one-world placelessness that airports have long cultivated . Moreover , they are being retooled for a new breed of business traveler . `` The nature of work is changing , '' says Erin Hoover , head of design for the Sheraton and Westin brands , `` and it 's very collaborative . ''

Now airport hotels -- like the newly opened Hilton in London , Novotel in Auckland , New Zealand , and Element in Miami -- are catching up , bringing technology , design , and style to the international stopover .

Hilton Frankfurt Airport

The Hilton Frankfurt Airport is a stylish , hyper-connected oasis . The hotel , along with the lower-priced Hilton Garden Inn , occupies the eastern end of the Squaire -LRB- a name meant to evoke town square and air -RRB- , an ultra-elongated mixed-use complex that rests on angled columns atop a high-speed rail station , is adjacent to the airport 's commuter train station , and is squeezed between two major autobahns . When Squaire managing director Christoph Nebl characterizes it as `` the best-connected spot in Europe , '' he 's not exaggerating .

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Sheraton Malpensa Hotel -LRB- Milan -RRB-

A series of glass modules lined up like the teeth of a comb , this property makes for a fitting addition to a world capital of design .

Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway

Two minutes from the terminal via SkyTrain , the building is LEED certified and has a lobby floor made of terrazzo embedded with glass .

Aloft San Francisco International Airport

A newly rehabbed Clarion Inn building -- dropped ceilings have been removed to give the rooms at this hotel an airy feel , and an expanded lobby big enough for a bustling bar scene has been added .

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Hilton Heathrow Terminal 5 , U.K.

From its glamorous all-white main lobby staircase and unusually glitzy light fixtures to perfectly manicured exterior grounds and a celebrity chef -- helmed restaurant -LRB- Mr. Todiwala 's Kitchen -RRB- , this property has all the makings of a hotel hot spot .

Element Miami

The Miami International Airport satellite of this Westin brand features the cutting-edge Pilot program , where electricity can be generated by guests using the hotel 's stationary bikes . The fully equipped kitchens , nutritious menus , and bathrooms with mood-improving lighting attest to Element 's health-conscious hospitality approach .

ALT Hotel Pearson , Toronto

Original art , Egyptian cotton linens , an Italian-made Calla chair , and Fruits & Passion bath products lend sophisticated global flair to the 153-room ALT , part of Canadian hotel group Groupe Germain .

Custom Hotel , Los Angeles

Relaunched and refreshed by Joie de Vivre in September 2011 , this bombastic crash pad minutes from LAX appeals to your sense of whimsy with themed gimmicks , like the Pan Am -- inspired staff uniforms and Hangar Lounge , the property 's main lobby .

Steigenberger Airport Hotel Berlin

When Berlin 's long-awaited Brandenburg Airport opens in March 2013 , so too will this grand 322-room property with an outdoor reflecting pool , nine meeting spaces , a lobby bistro , and a fitness center with a gym , sauna , and steam bath .

Lotte City Hotel Gimpo Airport , South Korea

Understated and refined , this hotel provides a welcome break from its chaotic surroundings -- a massive theme-park-mall complex within the airport . It opened in late 2011 , with touch screen controls in the 197 rooms .

Planning a getaway ? Do n't miss Travel + Leisure 's guide to the World 's Best Hotels

Copyright 2012 American Express Publishing Corporation . All rights reserved .

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Hilton Frankfurt Airport is part of a mixed-use complex atop a high-speed rail station

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ALT Hotel Pearson in Toronto features original art and Egyptian cotton linens

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Guests at the Element Miami help make electricity by using the hotel 's stationary bikes